


Reckless Behavior

by Quicquidlibet



Series: Reverse Robin AU [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Reverse Robin AU, age reversal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 10:42:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11827065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quicquidlibet/pseuds/Quicquidlibet
Summary: Damian, Steph, and Cass discuss Jason's readiness to be the next Robin. It appears reckless behavior is a prerequisite of sorts.(An AU where the order of the Bat children is reversed, making Damian the oldest.)





	Reckless Behavior

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'ed by Anna.

Steph leaned back in her chair with a bored sigh. The monitors in the Cave showed no signs of urgent activity, Damian was playing a game of chess with Cass, and Bruce was busy talking to Jason about Robin related things. Which, if she thought about it, bothered her a bit more than she would admit. Who told Tim he could just  _ tell _ his friend how to get into the Batcave? Sure, maybe the kid helped a lot by keeping an eye on the streets, even without an official hero identity, but it was the principle of the matter. If Damian and Steph hadn’t gotten a choice in their successors as Robin, why should Tim get to pick his?

Along with that, she wanted to tell Tim that he couldn’t just up and  _ leave _ the title of Robin. Especially since he quit with no word except a sudden appearance by Jason Todd, of all people. He was treating this like a break up, and not even a good one at that. It would be a terrible break up. It was like sending a friend in to do it for you, and then having the friend offer to be a rebound, but only because the friend had been told to offer.

Robins don’t  _ break up  _ with Batman. That’s not how vigilantism in Gotham works. If a Robin had a problem with the Bat, they acted out by stealing his stuff or changing their vigilante identity. Often doing both, if Damian and Steph’s track records were anything to go by.

"This is a terrible idea,” Damian said, scowling over at his father and Jason from his place across from Cass. Steph cracked a smirk, despite agreeing with the sentiment. He had been muttering that to himself for months, ever since Jason had delivered the news that Tim was being forced to quit his role as Robin by his dad.

Cass removed another one of Damian’s chess pieces from the board before speaking. “What is?” She hadn’t been around the boys as much as Steph had lately, busying herself with missions outside of Gotham, so she didn’t know Damian’s current source of irritation as well as Steph did.

“I’m gonna hazard a guess he means the new kid taking up the Robin title,” Steph said, wheeling her desk chair at the computer over to join them. “Seeing as it’s what he’s meant every other time he’s been saying it in the past six months.”

Damian threw a chess piece at her face, but she dodged by wheeling the chair and herself back out of the way. The piece clattered to the floor, causing Bruce and Jason to glance over briefly. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, the two went back to ignoring the other heroes. As Steph rejoined the table, she watched Bruce tell Jason to go grab something before pulling his cowl back on.

“Look, as much as I complain about Timmy being gone, he didn’t have a choice,” Steph said, patting Damian on the shoulder. “His dad made him stop being Robin. And he’s always saying that B  _ needs _ a Robin. It only makes sense that he would arrange for a replacement.”

He glared at her but didn’t try to dislodge her hand. He had learned years ago that doing so would just cause her to annoy him more. Steph was nothing if not persistent, and she’d be damned if she didn’t act the part of annoying but lovable younger sister to Damian, and that meant patting him on the shoulder when he was in a bad mood.

“Father’s planning on letting Todd out on patrol for the first time tonight,” Damian said.

“Is that why you’re irritable?” Cass asked, shooting the others a small, knowing smile. She moved another piece on the board, causing Damian to huff in frustration and refocus on the game.

Steph let out a snort and moved her hand to ruffle Damian’s hair. “He’s always irritable, Cass. You should know this by now.”

“That’s because you’re irritating,” Damian muttered, swatting her hand away. “Todd isn’t ready. He’s too reckless.”

“Pot meet kettle,” Steph replied with a scoff. “Isn’t it like a basic Robin requirement to be reckless?”

Damian looked up from the chessboard and fixed her with a deadpan stare. “Tell me, Brown, out of the past three Robins, who has been the least reckless?”

Steph pursed her lips and rested her chin on her hand, propping herself on the table as she took a moment to think. “Tim. Surprisingly enough.”

“And out of the past three Robins, who has been the only one not to be killed, or brought to the point of near death?” Damian continued, pointing first to himself and then to Steph with the chess piece in his hand before setting it down in a new spot on the board.

Steph let out a loud groan and slumped further onto the table, causing Damian to smirk as Cass chuckled. “Ugh. It’s Tim. I hate when you make a good point.”

“If Batman thinks he’s ready to be Robin, then we should trust that he’s ready,” Cass said. Damian and Steph both scoffed at that, causing Cass to roll her eyes at their behavior.

“Oh my god,” Steph said, jolting to sit upright and cutting off Damian as he was about to speak. “Oh my  _ god.” _

Following her gaze to where Jason had just returned from changing, Damian and Cass stared in shock.

“What is he  _ wearing?” _ Damian asked, dumbfounded. He could see that his father was at just as much of a loss for words as the rest of them.

“Robin,” Batman said finally, bringing up a hand to rub at his temples over the cowl. “Put on some pants.”

“Pants are for squares, Batman,” Robin said as he brushed past his mentor to climb into the Batmobile. “Come on.”

“Oh my god,” Steph mumbled again.

“Do you see my point  _ now, _ Brown?” Damian said.

“‘Pants are for squares, Batman,’” Steph said quietly, awe in her tone.  _ “Iconic.” _


End file.
